Andrew Korner
Journalist
Andrew was born and bred in Ipswich and has been at the QT since 2007. After starting out on the country rounds, he moved onto court reporting and then police and emergency services, which he has now been covering for the last three years. When he is not working on police rounds Andrew is busy sifting through the garbage of famous people, in search of ideas for his weekly column, the Naughty Korner. As there are very few famous people in Ipswich, Andrew is often forced to write his column about...

POLICE have seized an estimated $18 million in cannabis after raiding a sophisticated plantation near Esk this week.

Five men have been charged after police uncovered the operation at Buaraba on Thursday.

Detectives from the State Crime Command's Drug and Serious Crime Group, with assistance from the Gatton Criminal Investigation Branch, executed a search warrant at a property on Gatton-Esk Rd.

Police said the property consisted of a commercial sized shed and four industrial sized greenhouses, where police seized 3,731 cannabis plants, 1kg of dried cannabis and equipment allegedly used in the production of hydroponic cannabis including an intricate irrigation system.

The total estimated value of the crop is more than $18 million. Five men, including two aged 42, a 41-year-old, a 38-year-old and a 62-year-old were all charged with producing dangerous drugs, possessing dangerous drugs and possessing anything used in the commission of a crime. They will face court at a later date.